LANCASHIRE CATHOLICISM. HE following table contains the Lancashire portion of an " Account of Papists within "the Diocese of Chester," drawn up in the year 1767, by order of the Bishop. The parishes in the deaneries of Kendal and Lonsdale have all been included, though a few are in Westmorland and Yorkshire. The Cheshire portion has been printed in the Cheshire Sheaf, (3rd series, vol. v), but a summary of the figures of this portion as well as for the whole archdeaconry of Richmond is added. The returns are contained in a small quarto volume, preserved in the Diocesan Registry at Chester, and for permission to copy and print it the Society is indebted to John Gamon, Esq., the Diocesan Registrar. The 1717 figures seem to have been taken from the statistics compiled by Bishop Gastrell, and printed in the Notitia Cestrensis (Chetham Society). At first sight there appears a very surprising and unexpected increase in the later returns ; it is, how- ever, probable that at the earlier time the number of concealed Catholics was larger than at the later. This may have been owing to the suppression of the Jacobite rising of 1715, which entailed disastrous consequences on the adherents of the ancient faith, generally sympathisers with the Stuart cause, and in a large number of cases open supporters of the rebellion. By 1767 the period of persecution was drawing to an end, and there was less occasion than formerly to conceal religious convictions. The figures invite further questions as to the cause 01 the predominance of Protestantism at the present time, not only in the great towns, where the popu- lation is to a large extent " foreign," but in those Lancashire Catholicism. 213 rural districts in which it is evident that formerly the majority of the inhabitants were not Protestant. The south-east portion of Lancashire was, from the Reformation onwards, decidedly inclined to the new opinions, and the figures here given show that in this, then the most important, district, Protestantism had a decided preponderance. Of great interest are the names of the missionary priests who ministered to their flocks at that time. Some of these appear to be well known already, like Richard Gregson of Sefton, a Benedictine, who a few years later founded the present Netherton mission (see vol. xlix, p. 133); in other cases the notices give fresh information. The priests at Liverpool in 1767, who are not named in the fol- lowing list, seem to have been Thomas Hawkins (alias Perkins), S.J., a Sussex man ; and James Newton (alias Nelson), a Londoner ; at least these fathers were here in that year, but perhaps suc- cessively :— DEANRY OF MANCHESTER. Anno Anno 1717 I767 Ashton-under-Line 2 Lees Mosley... 2 Bolton 43 37 Little Bolton Blackrod Bradshaw .. 35 Rivington Turton Walmesley in y= Par. list, Bury Edenfield in ye Par. list, Heywood Holcomb in yc Par. list. Dean 46 31 Horwich 3 Peele — 3 Westhoughton 1 4 214 Communications. Anno Anno I717 1767 Eccles xo 18 Ellenbrooke Flixton Manchester 13 287 Ardwick Birch Blakeley I Chorlton i MR Barlow of Barlow. Denton Didsbury Gorton Heaton Norris Newton Salford 64 Stretford 20 Excl. of Mr Trafford of T: who lives mostly at York. Middleton 3 Ashworth — in ye Par. list. Cockey »» >> Prestwich 3 Oldham 21 Ringley Royton Shaw Unsworth ... Rochdale 14 Littleborough Milnrow — in ye Par. list. Saddleworth Todmerdine Do. Whitworth ... Rat cliff — — Do. DEANR15Y4 OF 55WARRINGTON3 . Anno Anno I717 1767 Altcar 17 92 Aughton .. 80 145 Bertram Bulmer, priest. Childwall.. 208 151 Garston — 153 Hale .. — 18 Halsall .. 146 36 Lancashire Catholicism. 215 171Ann7o Ann176o7 Maghull 21 126 Melling T 67 Huyton ... 13 151 Leigh 107 269 Astley ... — 10 Atherton — 25 Liverpoole 200 1743 North Meols 5 3 Nichs Fournier at Scars- 5 Ormeskirk 358 1086 • brick, ' Ja Brown at Lathom, priests. Jos. Bamand at Windle, Phil. Butler at Par, Mr Prescott 372 1294, Weldon and Mr Conyers at Eccleston. St. Ellens (retd in Par.) Farnworth 35' 326 Marma Wilson, priest. Rainford 7i Sankey 14 d Sephton 5i5 603 Rich Gregson, a monk, priest. Hen. Blundell of Ince Esqr r Crosby — 154; Hen. Pippard Esq of Crosby. Walton (Hen. Tat- lock, priest) 61 108 Formby 208 6 John Blundell, priest. 1 3 3 s Kirkby 8 98 Tho Butchard, a Jesuit. West Derby 60 197 Barnett Bolus, priest. Warrington 69 401 Tho. Shuttleworth, priest. 1 Burton wood 2 15 Hollinfair 41 Wigan 594 1194 John Worthington, priest. Billinge io1 94 Elmer Grimbolston, priest. Hindley — 108 John Eastham, priest. Holland — 216 Winwick (Sir Tho. Gerard of Brynn, Bart., Mr. Green, [cheth. priest) 461 796 Mr Leigh, priest at Cul- retd at ( Ashton ... 100 — Another Wm Dicconson of Win. \Lowton ... — — Culcheth. 1 Familys. 216 Communications. Anno Anno 1717 1767 Mr Royle and Mr Horn, d Newchurch — — other priests at Croft ret at and Southworth. Win.' R M Welton, a priest in Newton Ashton quarter. 3,646 10,168 To be added for 72 familys sett down as individuals 288 — 3,934 10,168 DEANRY OF BLACKBURN. Anno Anno 1717 1767 Blackburn 532 239 Balderstone 82 Darwen Harwood 39 Lango 69 Samlesbury 35i Tockholes J3 Walton-le-Dale ... 499 823 Whalley 128 20 Altham —\ 86 Accrington -/ John Harrison, priest. Burnley and 120} s 118- Cha Townley of Townley Holme —J Esqr Clitheroe 12 Churchkirk — 7 Colne — 12 Marsden — — in Coin list. Downham — — Haslingden — — Goodshaw — — Newchurch-in-Pendle — — Do. -in-Rossendale — 3 Padiam — 14 Whitewell 52 86 John Moore, priest. 1284 r974 To be added for familys sett down as individuals ... 20 I3°4 2 Familys. Lancashire Catholicism. 217 DEANRY OF LEYLAND. Anno Anno 1717 I767 Brindle Joseph Hadley, priest. 170 364 d Croston ... 184 R Leckonby, do. 359 r Becconsall 13 Thuur Trafford, Esq n Chorley — 202 Hannah Edgar, schoolm Rufford — J3 Tarleton — 2 Eccleston Wm Grimbalston, pr 43 287 r Douglass Edw: Dicconson, Esq , of Wrightington. Hoole 9 2 Mr Bradshaw. Leyland 272 375 Euxton !34 Jn° White, priest. Heapey 295 Jn° Richardson, pr Penwortham 27 69 Longton included. Longton Standish ... 328 552 One priest, his name not returned. Coppull 1033 2756 DEANRY OF AMOUNDERNESS. Anno Anno 1717 1767 Bispham ... 8 4 r Chipping ... 55 Leonardo Francis, p Cockerham 83 186 Ellel ... 57 Shireshead 40 retd at Cockerham. John Sergeant, at Wiresdale. Garstang... 230 837 Pilling ... — no ret. added later—" One only, "and that retd at Gar- "stang." Kirkham (above 16 [priest. years of age) 477 989 Tho. Cuerdon, a Jesuit Goosenargh (above [Maudesley, priests. 16 years of age) 145 316 John Carter and John White Chapel 200 Hambleton 3 Lund Jno. Davidson, priest. 182 Singleton Peter Waring, secular 135 priest, Mr Brown, Popish priest. Communications. Anno Anno In the (Ribby with 1717 1767 Parish] Wray . list. (Warton s Lancaster no ret. 650 Ja Tyrer, priest. Admarsh 23 Caton 20 40 Gressingham 2 Littledale 29 Overton 11 Poulton 1 Stalmine 17 25 Wyresdale 47 Jn° Mansel, ats Talbot. Lytham ... no ret. Jesuit priest. 384 Tho5 Clifton Esqre St. Michael's 206 184 Woodplumpton 276 Cop 91 Fran. Cliff, priest. Poolton 67 146 Marton 18 r Preston 643 !°43 M Smith, priest. Mr Chadwick, pr. Broughton .. — 3i3-( Tho. Walton, pr. Grimsargh .. — ii7 St. Lawrence I3I Ribchester 204 275 s Longridge .. 213 Ja Wilson, priest. Stidd 49 2155 7017 DEANRY OF LONSDALE. Anno Anno 1717 1767 Bentham 5 9 Ingleton — 2 Ingletonfell... Clapham 2 58 land Hall, Esqr Claughton 16 13 Jas. Le Grand, priest. Kirkby Lonsdale Chas. Ingleby of Aust- 7 wick, Esqr Barton Firbank Huttonroof... Lancashire Catholicism. 1717 Aqno Killington ... — 1767 Mansergh ... — 5 Middleton ... — Melling 48 2 Archolm — — 7 Hornby r Sedbergh — 98 M Butler, priest. Dent — Garsdale — 8 Howgill — m Tatham . 5 14 W Pennington, priest Tathamfell ... 1 Thornton 2 7 Burton — — in Par. list. + Tunstall 14 Leek Whittington ... — 99 229 DEANRY OF FURNESS. Anno Anno I717 1767 Aldingham Dendron I Cartmell Cartmellfell... Field Broughton Flookborough Lindale Staveley 3 Coulton Finsthwaite... Rusland Dalton 7 23 John West, priest. Kirkby Irelith — — in Par list. Ramside — Do. Walney Hawkshead Saterthwaite Kirkby Irelith... Broughton ... Seathwaite ... Woodland ... Pennington 220 Communications. Anno Anno Ulverstone 1717 1767 Blawith 4 13 Conistone Lowick Torver... Urswick ... — no kind of Dissenter. 27 47 DEANRY OF KENDALE. Anno 1717 Anno Beetham 38 176— 7 Witherslack 1 Bolton in the Sands.. 2 27 Overkellet Burton 6 12 Preston Patrick ... 2 — Grasmere — — Ambleside — — Langdale — — no kind of Dissenter. Halton 13) 16 Aughton - f Heversham 26 32 Crosthwaite 9 Croscrake — — in Par. list. Heysham 2 — Kendale 72 165 Burnside 1 7 Crooke — Grayrigg — 7 Hugill — — Kentmire — — Longsleddale — 2 5 r Helsington — 19 Cha Strickland, Esq Notland ... — — New Hutton — — Old Hutton — — Selside — 1 Staveley — — no Diss" but two Quakers. Underbarrow — 1 Winster — — rc Warton 7 54 Geo. Townley, Esq Mr Wharton, priest. Family. Lancashire Catholicism. 221 Anno Anno Silverdale I717 1767 Windermere — — in Par. list. Troutbeck — — no kind of Dissenters. 166 344 To be added for one family sett down as an individual 170 CHESTER ARCHDEACONRY. RICHMOND ARCHDEACONRY. 1717 1767 1717 1767 Bangor 2 Amounderness 2155 7017 Blackburn . :3°4 1974 Burroughbridg 196 284 Chester 116 138 Catherick 260 380 Frodsham ... 66 108 Copeland 30 148 Leyland 1033 2756 Furness 27 47 Kendale 344 Macclesfield 83 59 170 Malpas Lonsdale 229 17 99 Manchester 154 553 Richmond 691 525 Middlewich H 14 Namptwich 58 22 3462 9140 Warrington 3934 10168 Increase. ... 5678 Wirral ... 65 207 6846 15999 Increase 9153 1717 1767 Totals of the whole 10308 25139 Total increase H831 [Later]—Total numbers returned by order of Parliament, in 1780 27228 .